Foldable freight container

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a foldable freight container, comprising a frame which includes a base frame, a top frame and plurality of supporting pillars, and a top plate, a bottom plate, two side plates, a front plate and a rear plate, which are disposed on the frame, wherein the front plate and the rear plate can lie down toward the inside of the container, the pillars and the side plates can be folded toward inside of the freight container to achieve the goal of a foldable freight container.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a foldable freight container, wherein the freight container can be folded by a foldable structure design when no cargo is loaded therein so as to minimize the occupied volume for saving stacking space and facilitating convenient transportation that reduces storage and transportation costs.

BACKGROUND

It is found that the conventional freight container uses a fixed structure and has a considerable large standardized space for loading a large amount of cargo. Common freight containers are directed to dry containers with a dimension of 20 feet in length, 8 feet in width and 8.6 feet in height, a dimension of 40 feet in length, 8 feet in width and 8.6 feet in height, etc. However, when the freight container is unloaded with cargo, the freight container is stored in lots. The huge volume of the freight container may occupy large spaces, and several freight containers are stacked such that the stacked freight containers may be dangerous for its considerable height. In addition, when transporting empty freight container, limited amount of the freight containers may be carried by the trailer, and thus the efficiency is low and the cost of transportation is high. low and the cost of transportation is high.

A U-shaped freight container is used to load high and heavy cargo, comprising a bottom plate and two side plates (only three plates) to form an open freight container. The bottom ends of the side plates pivot onto to the bottom plate. When the freight container is in use, the side pates are vertically disposed on the sides of the bottom plate; when the freight container is not in use, the side plates can lie on the bottom plate forming a piece of plate to minimize the volume of the freight container. However, the U-shaped freight containers cannot be used as a closed freight container, i.e. the structure of the U-shaped freight containers cannot be utilized for the rectangular, closed dry freight container with six plates such that the large amount of usage of the dry container cannot achieve the object of saving space for stacking dry freight container.

As a result, minimizing the volume of conventional freight containers when empty is a goal in freight container design.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a foldable structure of freight container such that when the freight container is empty, the freight container can be folded to minimize the space it occupies for saving stacking space and facilitating convenient transportation of empty freight container.

To achieve the above object, the present invention discloses a foldable freight container structure, comprising:

-   -   a body, comprising:     -   a bottom plate, a top plate opposing to the bottom plate, two         side plates opposing to each other, a front plate, and a rear         plate opposing to the front plate;     -   the front plate and the rear plate pivot onto a front end and a         rear end of the bottom plate, respectively; each of the side         plates comprises an upper side plate and a lower side plate,         wherein the upper side plate has a top end pivoting onto a side         end of the top plate, the lower side plate had a bottom end         pivoting onto a side end of the bottom plate, and the upper side         plate has a bottom end pivoting onto a top end of the lower side         plate;     -   the freight container structure further comprises fixing devices         disposed inside the body whereby the front plate and the rear         plate are not adapted to pivot with respect to the bottom plate,         and the upper side plate and lower side plate are not adapted to         pivot with respect to each other.

The foldable freight container structure further comprises a frame in a shape of parallelepiped which is adapted to position the bottom plate, the top plate, the two opposing side plates, the front plate, and the rear plate.

The procedure for folding the freight container of the present invention is stated as follows: the front plate and the rear plate are hung by cranes, and operators unlock the second locks on the front plate and the rear plate so as to make the front plate and rear plate lie down on the bottom plate inside the freight container; the freight container frame is hung by cranes, operators unlock the first locks on the sides of the freight container so as to make the frame folded. The folded freight container is fixed in a folded state by utilizing fixing devices to fix the corners of the top frame and the bottom frame. Spacers are disposed on the corners of top frames of a folded freight container for stacking another folded freight container. The folded freight container merely has 20% of the height of the unfolded freight container such that saving considerable spaces.

The details of the present invention can be clearly understood by the drawings and the description of the preferred embodiments below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other modifications and advantages will become even more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1(a) is a schematic drawing illustrating a perspective view of a freight container of this invention;

FIG. 1(b) is a side view of FIG. 1(b);

FIG. 2(a) is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1(b) along line B-B;

FIG. 2(b) is an enlarged view of FIG. 2(b) illustrating the corner of the freight container;

FIG. 3(a) is a schematic drawing illustrating the first lock on the inside of the side plates;

FIG. 3(b) is a schematic drawing illustrating the second lock on the front plate;

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing the freight container in the procedure of folding;

FIG. 5(a) is a schematic drawing illustrating the folded freight containers from the front when being stacked;

FIG. 5(b) is a schematic drawing illustrating the folded freight containers while stacking.

FIG. 5(c) is a schematic drawing of the retaining device for stacking freight containers; and

FIG. 5(d) is a schematic drawing of the spacer for stacking freight containers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS)

As shown in FIG. 1(a) to FIG. 2(a), the freight container of the present invention comprises a freight container frame 10, a top plate 21, a bottom plate 22 opposite to the top plate 21, two opposite side plates 23, 24, a front plate 25 and rear plate opposite to front plate 25 (not shown in the drawings). The freight container frame 10 is generally in the shape of parallelepiped, and its dimension is not limited to the standard dimenstion of conventional dry freight containers only. The freight container frame 10 comprises a top frame 11 to position the top plate 21, a bottom frame 12 opposite to the top frame 11 to position the bottom plate 22, and at least four supporting pillars are connected between the top frame 11 and bottom frame 12. Preferably, the at least four supporting pillars are directed to six supporting pillars, wherein the four supporting pillars are connected between the four corners of the top frame 11 and the bottom frame 12, defining the spaces for positioning the two side plates 23, 24, the front plate 25, and the rear plate. The remaining two supporting pillars are disposed at the center region of the side plates respectively. With reference to FIG. 1(b), showing an embodiment of side plate 23, the supporting pillars comprises upper supporting pillars 131, 141, 151, and lower supporting pillars 132, 142, 152, wherein the top of the upper supporting pillars 131, 141, 151 and the bottom of the lower supporting pillars 132, 142, 152 pivot onto the top frame 11 and the bottom frame 12 respectively, and the upper supporting pillars 131, 141, 151 pivot onto the lower supporting pillars 132, 142, 152, such that the upper and lower supporting pillars can be folded into the freight container. Each of the four corners of the top frame 11 and the four corners of the bottom frame 21 comprises a corner block 90, and the corner block 90 has slots on the outer surface.

It is emphasized that the configuration of the supporting pillars on the side plates are not limited to the configuration of one pillar disposed on the center region of the side plate in this embodiment, and can be the configuration of either no supporting pillar or at least one supporting pillars on the side plate.

The top plate 21, the bottom plate 22, the side plates 23, 24, the front plate 25, and the rear plate form a closed freight container. Each of the side plates 23, 24 of the freight container comprises at least one upper side plate and at least one lower side plate, disposed between the upper supporting pillars 131, 151, and the lower supporting pillars 132, 152, respectively. With reference to FIG. 1(b), showing an embodiment of side plate 23, the upper side plate 23 and the lower side plate 24 are spaced by the upper supporting pillar 141 and the lower supporting 142 into two upper side plate panels 231, 232 and two lower side plate panels 233, 234.

The front plate 25 comprises a door frame 253 and two doors 251, 252 adapted to be open, being disposed on the door frame 253. The doors 251, 252 use bolt lock 254 to be fixed to the door frame 253. The bottom of the door frame 253 pivots onto the bottom frame such that the front plate 25 can lie inwardly on the freight container. Similarly, the bottom of the rear plate pivots onto the bottom frame 12 such that the rear plate can lie inwardly on the freight container. The door frame 253 of the front plate 25, preferably, further provides at least one hook ring (not shown in the drawings) thereon to be hung by cranes in the procedure of folding.

Again, take the side plates 23, 24 for example, the upper side plate panel 231 and the lower side plate panel 232 comprise a reinforcement tube 50 on their top and bottom, as shown in FIG. 2(a) to increase the rigidity of upper plate panel 231 and the lower plate panel 232. Rubber strips, i.e. sealing rubber strips 60 as shown in FIG. 2(b), are disposed between the reinforcement tubes, and between the reinforcement tubes and the top frame as well as the bottom frame to provide damping and waterproof effects. The sealing rubber strips 60 can also be disposed on the conjunction of the door frame, the doors, and the frame.

There are a plurality of first locks 70 inside the freight container between the upper supporting pillars 131, 141, 151 and the lower supporting pillars 132, 142, 152 (or between the upper side plate panels 231, 233 and the lower side plate panels 232, 234), between the upper supporting pillars 131, 141, 151 (or the upper side plate panels 231, 233) and the top frame 21, and between the lower supporting pillars 132, 142, 152 (or the lower side plate panels 232, 234) and the bottom frame 12 to prevent the upper side plates from folding when using the freight container. The rear plate and the door frame 253 of the front plate 25 are provided with plurality of second locks 80 to be fixed to the top frame 11 (or top plate 21) to prevent the rear plate and the front plate 25 from lying down. As shown in FIGS. 3(a), (b), each of the first locks 70 comprises two adjacent lock blocks 71 and a lock bolt 72, and the second locks 80 is directed to assemblies to prevent the front plate 25 and rear plate from lying down, for example a bolt lock 81. The bolt lock 81 comprises a plate with a hole being disposed on the top frame 11, and a bolt being disposed on the door frame 253. The door frame 253 can be fixed by inserting the bolt into the hole of the plate.

In the procedure of folding the freight container of the present invention, the hook rings on the door frame 253 of the front plate 25 and the rear plate are hung by cranes, and then operators enter the freight container to unlock the second locks 80. At first, the operators make the rear plate slowly lie down by the crane. Then, the operators close the doors 251, 252 of the front plate 25, lock the doors 251, 252 to the front plate 25, and make the front plate 25 slowly lie down by the crane. The hook rings on the top frame 11 are hung by the cranes, and the operators unlock the first locks 70 to make the side plates 23, 24 slowly folded inwardly. FIG. 4 illustrates the front view of the freight container in the procedure of folding after the front plate 25 and rear plate lie down; FIG. 5(a) illustrates the front view of the folded freight container.

As shown in FIGS. 5(b), (c) and (d), when the freight container is folded, the corner blocks 90 on top frame 11 and bottom frame 12 are fixed by retaining devices 100 to retain the folded state. While stacking the folded freight containers, each corner of the freight containers is provided with a spacer 110 for aligning and spacing the folded freight containers.

The retaining device 100 comprises a connecting rod 105, and each end of the connecting rod comprises handles 102, 104, lock panels 101, 103, the lock panels 101, 103 are adapted to be put into the slots of the corner block 90. By turning the handles 102, 104, the lock panels 101, 103 lock the corner blocks 90 of the upper freight container and the lower freight container to make the folded freight containers being placed on each other.

The spacer 110 comprises a spacer block 111 and fixing parts 113, 114. The fixing part 113 and 114 is movable with the bar 11. Each of the folded freight containers is limited by the spacers 110, which are disposed on the four corners of the freight containers, in limited horizontal movements such that they are aligned in order.

This invention is related to a novel creation that makes a breakthrough in the art. Aforementioned explanations, however, are directed to the description of preferred embodiments according to this invention. Since this invention is not limited to the specific details described in connection with the preferred embodiments, for example, the definition of the front plate, the rear plate, the side plates, the top plates, the bottom plate, their relative positions, and the structures of the hinges for pivoting on the plates or the frame, changes and implementations to certain features of the preferred embodiments without altering the overall basic function of the invention are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A foldable freight container structure, comprising: a body, comprising: a bottom plate, a top plate opposing to the bottom plate, two side plates opposing to each other, a front plate, and a rear plate opposing to the front plate; characterized in that: the front plate and the rear plate pivot onto a front end and a rear end of the bottom plate, respectively; each of the side plates comprises an upper side plate and a lower side plate, wherein the upper side plate has a top end pivoting onto a side end of the top plate, the lower side plate had a bottom end pivoting onto a side end of the bottom plate, and the upper side plate has a bottom end pivoting onto a top end of the lower side plate; the freight container structure further comprises fixing devices disposed inside the body whereby the front plate and the rear plate are not adapted to pivot with respect to the bottom plate, and the upper side plate and lower side plate are not adapted to pivot with respect to each other.
 2. The foldable freight container structure of claim 1, further comprising a frame in a shape of parallelepiped which is adapted to position the bottom plate, the top plate, the two opposing side plates, the front plate and the rear plate.
 3. The foldable freight container structure of claim 2, wherein the frame comprises a substantially rectangular top frame, a bottom frame opposing to the top frame, at least four supporting pillars being connected between the top frame and the bottom plate.
 4. The foldable freight container structure of claim 3, wherein the frame comprises at least six supporting pillars, wherein four of them are connected onto four corners of the top frame and the bottom frame such that the four supporting pillars, the top frame and the bottom frame defines spaces for receiving the two side plates, the front plate and the rear plate; the remaining supporting pillars are equally disposed on the two opposing side plates; wherein each of the at least two supporting pillars comprise an upper supporting pillar and a lower supporting pillar.
 5. The foldable freight container structure of claim 4, wherein each of the upper plates comprises a plurality of upper plate panels, each of the lower plates comprises a plurality of lower plate panels, the plurality of upper plate panels and lower pate panels are spaced apart by the supporting pillars respectively disposed thereon.
 6. The foldable freight container structure of claim 1, wherein the front plate comprises two doors each being adapted to be open, and a door frame on which the doors are pivoted.
 7. The foldable freight container structure of claim 6, further comprising hook rings disposed on the door frame and on the rear plate.
 8. The foldable freight container structure of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing tubes being disposed on the top end and the bottom end of the upper side plate, and on the top end and the bottom end of the lower side plate.
 9. The foldable freight container structure of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of rubber strips being disposed on at least one side of each of the reinforcing tubes for damping and waterproof.
 10. The foldable freight container structure of claim 5, wherein the fixing devices comprise a plurality of first locks being disposed between the upper side plate and the lower side plate pivoting thereon.
 11. The foldable freight container structure of claim 10, wherein the fixing devices further comprise a plurality of second locks, being disposed between the top plate and the door frame of the front plate, and between the top plate and the rear plate. 